3/29/2017 0 Comments Gibson Reissue Serial NumbersNational Vintage Serial Numbers. National/Valco serial numbers provide the easiest way to find the year for a particular instrument. Serial numbers courtesy of Bob. I started writing for Vintage Guitar Magazine in early 1995 and moved to 20th Century Guitar Magazine in early 1996 and wrote for as a senior.Vintage Guitars Info - Gibson collecting vintage gibson guitars. Vintage Guitars Info's. Gibson Vintage Guitar. General Info, Specs, and Serial Numbers. Pictures, history for. Contact the vintage guitar info guy. Also mid to top end instruments usually have a label inside. Guitars with no label are usually lower end instruments. Probably the first thing when trying to determine the year on an old Gibson. This is easy to do, as Gibson. WW2, . Common top colors. Common back colors. This is really important for all model types except solidbody electrics. ![]() That is, is it white silkscreen. Also if the logo is pre- WW2, wartime, or post- WW2 (see above). Binding is the whitish/yellowish/tortoise . Most Gibsons have some sort of body binding. The more binding a guitar has, the fancier. Modifications (any modifications). This will greatly influence. Modifications can often be determined by looking at the model. The pre- war cutaway L- 5 and cutaway Super 4. Premier models. Since they are much more common, they are also easier and. This is. generally blamed on adjustable bridges that were standard on all models in. Since pre- war. models are early in the evolution of the electric guitar, they are. Post- war Gison electric archtops with. The. laminated body models, such as the. ![]() Gibson 1956 Les Paul Junior w/ Factory Stinger (Item#193) 1956 Junior with a factory black painted Stinger on the back of the headstock, guitar is 100% all original.
The ES- 3. 35, which had the lowest. ES- 3. 55 group, is considered to be the. Other. solidbody gibson may have some appeal, but not to the extent of the. Because of this they are collectible. Though the first electric Gibson bass introduced. EB- 1) is interesting, it's not desirable to the player. The late. fifties EB- 2 and EB- 6 are also interesting, but don't appeal widely. Likewise the Thunderbird II and IV basses are nice companions. Firebird guitars, but again don't appeal to players. Because of. this, the collectibility of Gibson basses is somewhat limited, especially. Fender electric basses. This is because they are early examples in the evolution. Today, the pedal steel has made the lapsteel. Mandolins from 1. The high end models from 1. Discontinued all. L- 5 by 1. 92. 7. Discontinued L- 5 1. Prior to 1. 95. 5 peghead narrows. Starting in 1. 96. Gibson changed to Indian. Note no. letters drop below the other letters. Middle: Post- WW2 pearl 1. This happened to pretty. There were some. exceptions though, like the Les Paul Custom (which kept. No letters drops below. This style logo with detached . The post- war logo has the. The standard colors for most instruments was Sunburst. Natural, black, white, cherry red, (Les Paul) TV yellow, or (Les Paul) gold. This is very similar to Behlen's Violin Varnish. This spirit varnish produces a eggshell crazing patina. For example some Lloyd Loar mandolins had this finish. With the pickguard removed we can see how muchbrighter the original red was in the sunburstunder the pickguard. This is particularly noticableby the neck pickup pickguard attachment point. This problem was fixed by mid- 1. Note the faint ink stamp along the bottom of the label. When Gibson was bought by Norlin in 1. These blank unused labels were snatched. Rigth: White label used from 1. This particular label. L- 4 model. The first number, A- 1. L- 7 on 4/2. 8/4. The last. white label number was A- 1. Note white label numbers. A- 1. 87. 51 to A- 2. The last orange label . After WW2. all models except the L- 5. CES, Byrdland, Super 4. CES and floating pickup. Johnny Smith) are laminated maple tops to prevent feedback. After WW2. all models except the L- 5. CES, Byrdland, Super 4. CES use laminated maple. Back shape is about the same as the 1. The pre- 1. 96. 5 neck. The 1. 96. 5 to 1. In 1. 96. 1, it. changed to a . Tunematic bridges started showing. Gibson models in 1. Used on some. models (ES- 2. ES- 2. 95) until 1. Ears on tailpiece 3/1. This tailpiece was. SG Junior. This was an important change on wrap around tailpieces. Les Paul Juniors and Specials). First appeared on the Les Paul. Custom in 1. 95. 4, and the Les Paul Standard in 1. Only the Les Paul Junior and Special. Melody Maker) continue to use the previous wraparound stud tailpiece. Stop tailpiece now chrome. ES- 3. 35) with a. Single coil black pickup with a. V- ends, white binding around the blade and/or outside, large. Diagonal mounted single coil pickup. Two variations, one almost. ES- 3. 00 model: 1. Finger rest pickup system: First cataloged as a . Volume and tone controls and pickup integrated into the pickguard. Non- adjustable pole P- 9. Same as fixed pole P- 9. Looks like a P- 9. Used on upper line models. One row of. 6 adjustable slot- head poles off- center: 1. Cover was gold, nickel or (after. Prior to about mid- 1. Most 1. 95. 7 humbucking. The internal plastic coil bobbins are usually black plastic. You can see the color. More information and pictures of PAF pickups can be seen. Note this 1. 95. 5 Southern Jumbo's . But in early 1. 95. The J- 2. 00 was an exception to this rule; it's. Prior to 1. 95. 5, the J- 2. The edges. were cut beveled to make them look like they had binding. In 1. 96. 6, the bevel. Next to it is the ugliest pre- 1. Gibson knob, known. The left switch tip was used. WW2 to about 1. 96. This knob is bakelite and very. Next to it is the 1. Bottom row black knobs, left to right: depending on the color of the guitar. Barrel knob. Looks like a hat box, flared base, back painted. Bonnet knob with metal cap (. First was used from mid- 1. The 1. 96. 2. and later relector knob has a deeper post hole (the bottom of the post. Also the reflector. Guitars with nickel or chrome. Guitars with gold hardware should. Back painted gold or black, clear with numbers 1 to 1. Note this knob was used primarily. Les Paul Custom models till the mid 1. Black knobs with white numbers 1 to 1. Some models. never got these knobs (such as the 1. Les Pauls). Starting in. Prior to 1. 93. 9, all screws should be slot style. Starting. in 1. 96. There were some exceptions; starting in 1. Grover tuners instead of Klusons on many mid to upper. Les Paul Custom and J- 2. By. 1. 96. 9, Gibson starting using tuners with the . More info. on Kluson tuners can be found. Prior to 1. 93. 9, all screws should be slot style. There is still now an outside hole in the. This happened because. These markings were stamped. If there is a serial. Also sometimes stamped was . Again, this stamp is. The worse Gibson reject is the . These were only. sold to employees at substantial discounts. This stamp is also seen on the. BGN instruments weren't. Gibson as sellable to the public. BGN instruments are worth less. Note this is a different stamp than the one used from 1. Also it's sometimes seen on the top. Instead, Gibson just ink stamped the model number inside. If the instrument had . The inside is a deep maroon color. The inside of these cases. These tweed cases were used up to WW2. This case also often had a hard thin. The handle on the medium and high. But the most desirable Les Paul California Girl case. This. 5 latch case was sold with Les Paul Juniors, Specials and Standards. Though any 1. 95. LP models. could also have a four latch case. This. was located on the side of the case by the handle. Note during this period. Gibson, all with. Lifton, Geib, Stone). Stone cases are seen throughout the 1. The new low- end. The medium grade. The black outside changed from smooth to rough. Also the handle changed from a. Also made during the 1. This case was very popular. Les Pauls. Starting about mid to late. Les Paul case changed to a five latch model. This is. considered the . These newer cases have a tag on the inside pick pocket that says. Also, these cases have a pink interior satin cover that. And they also have. There. were also some early 1. Les Pauls and. Korina reissues) that are starker versions of the Canadian reissue case. And the placement of. FON's (factory order numbers) can be different. Gibson serial number consistency was never given much. Gibson changed serial number system many times. This is. especially noticable during the 1. Sometimes this is difficult, but you have to. If so, then just look at the. WW2 serial number and factory order number info. This would be the. WW2 and post- WW2 instruments are. Also, examine the placement and style of the. There is. a very logical reason for this. The FON number is stamped on the instrument. Most times, the serial number. Depending on. the demand for the instrument, it could take Gibson up to 6 months to. Hence the FON number could be one year, and. Some models with an ink stamped. The FONs. were issued sequentially and provide a good way to date a Gibson guitar. Important: this new. FONs from 1. 93. 2 to 1. It was like in 1. FONs were pre- printed, and someone dropped the pile on the floor. Now FONs contain a letter A to G. Pretty much. sequentially ordered. Important: this new. FONs from 1. 93. 2 to 1. It was like in 1. FONs were pre- printed, and someone dropped the pile on the floor. Now FONs contain a letter A to G.
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